WOMEN AT
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THE TOP
Sandy Mazur
President, License/Franchise Division, Spherion Staffing
How has your life experience made
you the leader you are today? I sup-
What do you love most about being president? I love that I’m sur-
pose it started by being raised by parents
who had an unparalleled work ethic and
the belief that “anything worth doing is
worth doing right.” Also, early in my career, I aspired to achieve a certain level
in my field, and my boss at the time said,
“A woman would never be accepted in
that role.” Obviously, I didn’t take that
response to heart.
rounded by both an amazing team and
an incredible group of franchisees. It’s
particularly rewarding when we launch
a new campaign or product that is embraced and utilized by all to help them
grow and enhance their business.
Role models? I have been extremely
novation and constant improvement are
critically important in any organization,
I spend a great deal of time accomplishing both with my team and franchisees.
Of course, this means being in constant
communication with the group to understand what needs to be created or
enhanced.
How much of your time do you
spend at that, and what are you
doing to spend more? Because in-
fortunate to have had amazing role models throughout my career—honestly, too
many to list here. If they’re reading this,
they’ll know who they are.
Management gurus or books that
have deeply affected you: I’m not
sure that any one book or management
guru has transformed me, but almost
every book or expert has provided some
life lesson.
Has mentorship made a difference
in your professional and personal
life? Observing, listening to, and learn-
ing from people I consider to be my role
models has constantly challenged and
motivated me in both my professional
and personal life.
Female leaders you admire: I have
had the privilege of working with some
truly amazing female leaders up to this
very day. While each taught me something
different, they all displayed integrity in
every decision they made and every action they took.
Advice for young female president
aspirants: Be yourself. Surround yourself
with people who think differently. Work
hard. Remember there’s nothing more
important than your integrity.
Leadership style: Supportive, collab-
orative, results-focused, fair, and direct.
Was becoming president of an
What do you like most about what
your brand/legacy represents?
Service excellence. We believe this is
what really matters. Service excellence
is at the core of everything we do, create, believe, and measure. Delivering
excellence in the communities we serve
brings great rewards to everyone.
SYSTEM REVENUE: Do not disclose
NO. OF UNITS: 163
PUBLIC OR PRIVATE: Public
What role does diversity play in
your management team? It defi-
FOUNDED: 1946
BEGAN FRANCHISING: 1958
YEARS WITH COMPANY: 16
YEARS IN FRANCHISING: 7
INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS: 0
organization part of your professional plan? I guess in retrospect it
was. I grew up in a time when the most
commonly accepted career path for
women was to be a nurse, a teacher, or
a “secretary.” As a young girl, the first
goal I remember setting for myself was
to be “Secretary to the President of the
United States.” In retrospect, I guess that
meant I wanted to achieve the highest
level in my chosen profession.
nitely plays a critical part. My first
job in management was at a start-up
company that was founded—and initially led—by several brilliant men
who thought exactly alike. When the
company started to “struggle,” they
brought in a consultant who helped
us understand that every organization
needs leaders whose personalities and
thought processes are different. The
company thrived once the team was
aligned accordingly. My team and our
franchise community are a very diverse
group that comes together to accomplish outcomes beyond expectations.
If you are expanding overseas,
does being a woman affect growth?
N/A n
Franchiseupdate
Franchiseupdate I S S U E I , 2014
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